Bill > SB1701

This bill makes several changes to Arizona law regarding the Attorney General's office, primarily concerning the employment and fees of outside counsel and the rules for assistant attorneys general engaging in pro bono work. It clarifies that the Attorney General must have been a practicing attorney in Arizona for at least five years before taking office and that assistant attorneys general can represent private clients in pro bono (free) civil matters under specific conditions, such as not being compensated, not seeking attorney fees, and ensuring the representation doesn't interfere with their official duties or create conflicts of interest. The bill also modifies how contingency fees are handled for outside counsel hired to pursue antitrust, restraint of trade, or price-fixing cases, allowing for contingency fees and specifying that these contracts must comply with chapter 48 of title 41. Additionally, it adjusts the percentage of recovered money from antitrust violations that goes to a revolving fund, increasing it from ten percent to forty percent, with the remainder going to the state's general fund or specific funds as appropriate. Finally, the bill repeals a previous law from 2022 and states that these changes are intended to be clarifying rather than substantive.

Government Affairs

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/85349